GTA 6 car theft varies by vehicle: slim jims, hotwires and relay attacks

GG Brief Editorial Desk · AI-assisted, source attributed

GTA 6 makes stealing vehicles depend on a car’s make, model and year rather than a one-size-fits-all grab. Older cars can be entered by smashing a window or using a slim jim via a short control-stick minigame on PS5/Xbox, then hotwired; newer vehicles require a key cloner to perform a relay attack that mimics key-fob signals and can bypass alarms. Playable characters Jason and Lucia can carry these tools, and the system ties into GTA 6’s broader realism features like refueling, fitness, and eating.

• Older cars: smash a window or use a slim jim, triggering a short minigame using the PS5/Xbox control stick; once inside, players can hotwire the vehicle.
• Newer cars (including GTA 6’s Tesla-like models) block those methods and require a key cloner to execute a relay attack that mimics the electronic key-fob signal and can unlock vehicles without setting off alarms.
• Playable protagonists Jason and Lucia can carry theft items such as slim jims and key cloners while exploring Vice City.
• The vehicle-theft mechanics are part of a broader realism focus in GTA 6, which also includes refueling cars, managing fitness, and eating to maintain energy.